Canadian cities sweltering in wildfire smoke: Here's what to know

Wildfire smoke is drifting over Canada from the Rockies all the way to the Newfoundland Sea, according to modelling for the August long weekend.

Wildfire smoke is drifting over Canada from the Rockies all the way to the Newfoundland Sea, according to modelling for the August long weekend.

Based on mapping on FireSmoke, a data portal operated by BlueSky Canada, there are roughly 170 active fires across the country on Saturday. BlueSky is a collaborative effort by the provincial governments of British Columbia and Alberta.

Throughout the day, the modelling shows low levels of particulate matter in the air across the entire country, even in the east coast, where fewer active wildfires are burning.

By the evening, modelling shows smokier skies in the Rockies, particularly near Golden and Nelson in B.C., near Royal and Reindeer lakes in Saskatchewan and near Red Sucker Lake and South Indian Lake in Manitoba.

Based on the FireSmoke data, those areas will continue to have more wildfire smoke than the rest of Canada come early Monday morning.

At the time of publication, the air quality in major cities across Canada do not exceed a rating of four out of a scale of 10, a moderate risk, found in Calgary, Saskatoon and Toronto. At this level, those with heart or breathing problems may want to consider reducing strenuous outdoor activities, according to the federal government.